

Cubicle to CEO
Ellen Yin
We ask founders the business questions you can't Google. Cubicle to CEO® brings you weekly "behind the business" case-study interviews with leading entrepreneurs and CEOs who share a specific growth strategy they've successfully tested, how they implemented it, and what the results (and revenue) were. Host Ellen Yin also shares transparent insights about her own journey bootstrapping a media company from a $300 freelance project into millions in revenue.
Episodes
Mentioned books

25 snips
Aug 18, 2025 • 52min
312: How the “Hot 100” Method Generated $100K in 6 Months (Content-Free Growth)
Brianca Johnson Kirkman, a coaching consultant, shares her journey from corporate digital director to entrepreneur, emphasizing her innovative Hot 100 Method. This strategy focuses on nurturing 100 aligned connections to rapidly generate trust and clients without traditional marketing. She discusses how personalized outreach and storytelling can enhance business growth, revealing her impressive conversion rates from client outreach. Brianca also inspires women to explore consulting as a career path, providing resources to identify their strengths in the field.

Aug 13, 2025 • 39min
Bonus #73: In-person Clinic to Online Clicks: The “Sexy Niche” That Built a $1.6M Personal Brand Without 10K Followers
Dr. Lauryn Brunclik didn’t rest on the success of her seven figure chiropractic clinic, instead building something even bigger alongside it.
In this episode, she shares how launching a podcast helped her stop relying solely on new patient bookings and start growing a personal brand that’s generated over $1.6 million online (long before she ever hit 10,000 followers.)
With over 1,000 podcast downloads in the first week of her show launch with a brand new Instagram account, Lauryn quickly proved that audience size isn’t everything when it comes to building a brand that converts.
Today she breaks down:
Why most service providers flop when they try to bring their in-person niche online
What a “sexy niche” actually is (and why it matters more than your follower count)
All of the revenue streams that make up her personal brand
If you’re building a business both offline and online, this episode will show you what actually moves the needle—without starting from scratch.
Connect with Lauryn:
The Sexy Niche Checklist: www.sheslayspodcast.com/niche
http://sheslayspodcast.com/
IG: @sheslays_theday
Ellen's episode of She Slays the Day: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/257-elevate-your-influence-a-content-creators/id1462485522?i=1000653099907
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://cubicletoceo.co/quiz
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.
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Aug 11, 2025 • 56min
311. How Customer Storytelling 5X’d Roadster’s Sales Pipeline and Led to a $360M Acquisition
When Michelle Denogean joined Roadster as CMO, the company had a great product—but no one knew who they were or why their solution mattered. Digital retailing in the automotive space was still emerging, and skeptical dealerships weren’t ready to dive into their innovative model. Eighteen months later, Roadster had grown its sales pipeline 5X, slashed its sales cycle by 25%, and increased branded search volume by 10X. Not only that—it was acquired by the largest tech company in auto retail for $360 million.
So, what changed? Michelle led a full-scale strategic rebrand that prioritized education, positioned Roadster as the industry authority, and rebuilt alignment between sales and marketing teams to boost conversion.
In today’s case study, this six-time CMO (currently at Mindtrip), author of GrowUp!, and now startup advisor reveals how she built a category-defining brand and used customer-led storytelling, non-social media driven influencer strategy, and omnichannel thought leadership to 10X business.
If you're trying to disrupt your industry, this is the blueprint.
Connect with Michelle:
https://www.michelledenogean.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelledenogean/
https://michelledenogean.substack.com/
IG: @michelledenogean
https://mindtrip.ai/
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://cubicletoceo.co/quiz
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 4, 2025 • 46min
310. Outperforming In-Person Teams: Inside The Remote Culture That Beats Industry Benchmarks for Work Satisfaction
Many remote teams struggle with connection, culture, and performance, but Ginni Media is raising the bar.
Founder Ginni Saraswati Cook recently led a company-wide culture assessment to evaluate how her remote team was experiencing work satisfaction across five core drivers: Sense of Progress, Challenge, Autonomy, Meaningful Goals, and Team Support.
When comparing the results, Ginni Media beat the industry average in every category, including scoring an impressive 100% in team support. Even traditionally tough metrics like autonomy and progress came in nearly 20 percentage points higher than typical benchmarks for remote, hybrid, and in-person teams.
This is not a happy accident. In today’s case study, Ginni breaks down the intentional leadership strategies she uses to build trust, motivate her team, and maintain high work satisfaction.
If you lead a remote team—or plan to—this is a culture blueprint worth copying.
Connect with Ginni:
www.ginnisaraswati.com
www.ginnimedia.com
IG @theginnishow / @ginnimedia
https://www.youtube.com/@TheGinniShow
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://cubicletoceo.co/quiz
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 30, 2025 • 49min
Bonus #72: 4 Website Pages That Convert Clicks Into Clients (Plus Common Mistakes to Avoid)
Join us in Oregon for our Bloom Together Business Soiree on September 4th! Get your ticket while you can at https://www.cubicletoceo.co/bloomtogether
70% of buyers will visit your website before they make a purchase, and they’ll form an opinion in just 0.05 seconds.
That means your homepage isn’t just a digital brochure. It’s your first impression, your credibility check, and your silent sales rep — all in one.
Sisters Krissy and Claire, the powerhouse duo behind K+C Creative, have helped coaches and creators turn browsers into buyers with custom websites, sales pages, and digital funnels that generate revenue while they sleep.
In this episode, they’re breaking down what makes a website actually convert:
The 4 pages every coach or creator needs
Common design mistakes that kill conversions
Where to spend (and where to save) if you’re on a budget
If your website isn’t converting, this episode is your roadmap to turning clicks into clients.
Get professional photos at a low price point: http://shoott.com
Connect with Krissy and Claire:
Book a discovery call: https://www.kandccreative.com/discovery
Read Sell While You Sleep: https://www.kandccreative.com/booklaunch
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa5xO5aU-7deZwNnO7Uj1Zw
IG: @kandc.creative
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://cubicletoceo.co/quiz
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 28, 2025 • 51min
EP 309: From Bottleneck to Breakthrough: How One Strategic Hire Drove 45% Revenue Growth + Cut Labor Costs by 20%
Join us in Oregon for our Bloom Together Business Soiree on September 4th! Get your ticket while you can at https://www.cubicletoceo.co/bloomtogether
In just one year, Emma Tessler restructured her agency to increase revenue by 45% with a single strategic hire.
The founder of Ninety Five Media, Emma hit a ceiling with her fast-growing social media agency. Client work was thriving, but her personal involvement in every project bottlenecked growth and drained capacity. The solution? Hiring a Creative Project Manager to be a buffer between her, the Account Managers, and their clients — owning execution, managing the creative team, and elevating systems and deliverables across the board.
The results speak for themselves: average client retainers jumped from $3K to an average of $4K–$7K/month, labor costs dropped by 20% with improved efficiency, and Emma finally stepped out of the weeds, regaining time to focus on strategy, visibility, and even take a two-week unplugged vacation for the first time in years.
This case study is proof that scaling doesn’t always require building a massive team — it requires making the right hire.
Connect with Emma:
https://ninetyfivemedia.co
The Stop Scrolling, Start Scaling Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stop-scrolling-start-scaling-podcast/id1635151196
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmatessler/
IG: @ninety.five.media
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://cubicletoceo.co/quiz
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 21, 2025 • 50min
308. Built for Flexibility: How In-House Production Became Her Customer Service Superpower
Join us in Oregon for our Bloom Together Business Soiree on September 4th! Get your ticket while you can at https://www.cubicletoceo.co/bloomtogether
Most companies in the custom closets and home organization industry outsource their manufacturing, but Jennifer Q. Williams did the opposite, and it changed everything.
As the founder of Saint Louis Closet Co., Jennifer invested in bringing the entire production process in-house from day one, a bold move that allowed her to deliver fully customizable builds, reduce lead times to 4–6 weeks, and maintain a 100% on-time installation rate. This strategy has fueled 34 years of sustainable growth and empowered her to say yes to complex, last-minute projects — including a high-profile build-out for Grammy-winning rapper, Nelly.
In today’s case study on building a customer service centric company, we’ll dig into how in-house manufacturing didn’t just build customer trust and media buzzworthy opportunities, but how it also protected her business from supply chain chaos during Covid and the recent tariffs, led to faster payment collection, and created loyal clients who now drive over 50% of Saint Louis Closet Co.’s revenue through repeat and referral business.
Connect with Jennifer:
Check out Nelly's closet: https://www.instagram.com/stlouisclosetco/reel/DHLxto6uTv5/
https://stlouisclosetco.com
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/saint-louis-closet-co/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/stlouisclosetco
IG: @stlouisclosetco
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://cubicletoceo.co/quiz
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 16, 2025 • 31min
Bonus #71: Marketing Advice Experts Should Ignore
Join us in Oregon for our Bloom Together Business Soiree on September 4th! Get your ticket while you can at https://www.cubicletoceo.co/bloomtogether
The most qualified expert doesn’t always get the client — the best communicator does.
That’s where Dr. Michelle Mazur comes in. With a PhD in communication and two decades of experience helping brilliant business owners get crystal clear on their message, Michelle’s built a reputation for transforming experts into go-to authorities.
She’s the founder of Communication Rebel and The Expert Up Club, and in this episode, she’s breaking down why mainstream marketing advice doesn’t work for experts — and what to do instead.
Inside, you’ll learn:
The #1 messaging mistake most expert business owners make
Why creators and experts shouldn’t market the same way
Why your messaging doesn’t need to be relatable if its relevant
If you’re sick of throwing spaghetti at the wall and ready for messaging that actually matches your level of expertise, this conversation is your blueprint.
Connect with Michelle:
Market Like an Expert - https://drmichellemazur.com/cubicle
The Expert Up Club - https://expertup.club
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichellemazur/
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://cubicletoceo.co/quiz
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 14, 2025 • 55min
307. The Proposal Process Powering a $300K Productized Service That Has Booked 200 Clients
Join us in Oregon for our Bloom Together Business Soiree on September 4th! Get your ticket while you can at https://www.cubicletoceo.co/bloomtogether
A 30 minute sales call. A 5 minute proposal. $4K clients signed, sealed, and paid—no chasing required.
Taylor Hedden has built a $300K+ revenue stream with her premium Dubsado setup service by rethinking the traditional sales process. Her white-glove VIP offer has served over 200 creatives and service providers, without a big team, ads or burnout.
Instead of persuasion-heavy pitches, Taylor leads with strategy and validation. Her proposals feel more like high-end brand experiences than service quotes—and that’s exactly what seals the deal.
In this case study, you’ll get the behind-the-scenes tour of Taylor’s productized service and the sales process (including application form, call, and follow-up proposal) that converts consistently and quickly.
Connect with Taylor:
Interested in Taylor's Dubsado VIP Experience? Find out if it's the right fit for your business: https://chanelandlee.com/dubsado-vip-referral-ellen-yin-media
www.ironicallyseriouspodcast.com
IG: @tay.hedden
IG: @chanelandlee
IG: @ironicallyseriouspod
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://cubicletoceo.co/quiz
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 7, 2025 • 49min
306. A Viral Video Turned A $19 Offer Into A $10K Weekend (Replicate Her Strategy)
A $19 offer completely transformed her business model.
While running a fully booked social media agency and raising two kids, Katelyn Rhoades launched a $19 Instagram Reels Challenge—just a PDF and video training promoted solely through organic Reels. One of her reels promoting the offer went viral, and within 72 hours, that tiny product brought in $10,000 in sales.
But she didn’t stop there. Katelyn turned that single offer into a scalable revenue engine: building a funnel, layering in upsells, and launching a DIY membership now doing $10K+ in monthly recurring revenue. Altogether, the $19 product has generated six figures and added thousands to her email list all from organic marketing.
In today’s case study, we’ll unpack why Katelyn’s reel went viral so you can replicate her hooks, and the laziest repurposing hack to reuse the same video over and over again to bring in a new influx of followers.
Get Katelyn's IG Growth pack (including her reels challenge) at https://stan.store/katelynrhoades !
Connect with Katelyn:
https://enfluencestudio.com/
Podcast – Call Her Creator (powered by Stan): https://enfluencestudio.com/podcast
IG: @thekatelynrhoades
Iconic business leaders all have their own unique genius. Take this quick 10 question quiz to uncover your specific CEO style advantage: https://cubicletoceo.co/quiz
If you enjoyed today's episode, please:
Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @missellenyin & @cubicletoceo so we can repost you.
Leave a positive review or rating at www.ratethispodcast.com/cubicletoceo
Subscribe for new episodes every Monday.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices